Tokyo (AFP) – Japan coach Vahid Halilhodzic hit back at his critics Friday, vowing to continue in the job after leading the Blue Samurai to their sixth successive World Cup.

Following Thursday’s 2-0 home win over Australia in their penultimate Asian qualifier for next year’s finals in Russia, the firebrand Franco-Bosnian revealed that he had thought about quitting for “personal reasons.

Tokyo (AFP) – Japan coach Vahid Halilhodzic hit back at his critics Friday, vowing to continue in the job after leading the Blue Samurai to their sixth successive World Cup.

Following Thursday’s 2-0 home win over Australia in their penultimate Asian qualifier for next year’s finals in Russia, the firebrand Franco-Bosnian revealed that he had thought about quitting for “personal reasons.

Saitama (Japan) (AFP) – Japan beat Australia Thursday to qualify for their sixth successive World Cup but South Korea missed a golden opportunity to join them in Russia when they could only draw against 10-man Iran.

The goalless draw in Seoul means South Korea’s hopes of qualifying from Group A for their ninth successive finals were left hanging in the balance when a win would have booked their ticket to Russia.

Saitama (Japan) (AFP) – Japan beat Australia Thursday to qualify for their sixth successive World Cup but South Korea missed a golden opportunity to join them in Russia when they could only draw against 10-man Iran.

The goalless draw in Seoul means South Korea’s hopes of qualifying from Group A for their ninth successive finals were left hanging in the balance when a win would have booked their ticket to Russia.

Saitama (Japan) (AFP) – Japan’s beleaguered head coach Vahid Halilhodzic will live to fight another day after his side qualified for their sixth straight World Cup with a 2-0 home win over Australia.

Defeat by the Asian Cup holders could have cost him his job, but the firebrand Franco-Bosnian dodged a bullet thanks to a dogged performance on Thursday that guaranteed Japan will finish top of their group.

Saitama (Japan) (AFP) – Takuma Asano and Yosuke Ideguchi were on target as Japan beat Australia 2-0 at home Thursday to qualify for their sixth successive World Cup.

Asano steered home a left-foot volley four minutes before half-time and Ideguchi sealed the victory with a stunning long-range strike after 82 minutes as Japan became the fourth team to reach next year’s finals in Russia.

Saitama (Japan) (AFP) – Takuma Asano and Yosuke Ideguchi were on target as Japan beat Australia 2-0 at home Thursday to qualify for their sixth successive World Cup.

Asano steered home a left-foot volley four minutes before half-time and Ideguchi sealed the victory with a stunning long-range strike after 82 minutes as Japan became the fourth team to reach next year’s finals in Russia.

Saitama (Japan) (AFP) – Takuma Asano and Yosuke Ideguchi were on target as Japan beat Australia 2-0 at home Thursday to qualify for their sixth successive World Cup.

Asano steered home a left-foot volley four minutes before half-time and Ideguchi sealed the victory with a stunning long-range strike after 82 minutes as Japan became the fourth team to reach next year’s finals in Russia.

Saitama (Japan) (AFP) – Japan coach Vahid Halilhodzic called on his players to fight like samurai warriors in Thursday’s World Cup qualifier against Australia after being tipped to win - by a “psychic” parrot.

Local media reported Wednesday that an avian tipster called Olivia had predicted a win for the home side, which would book their spot in a sixth successive World Cup finals next summer.

Saitama (Japan) (AFP) – Japan coach Vahid Halilhodzic called on his players to fight like samurai warriors in Thursday’s World Cup qualifier against Australia after being tipped to win - by a “psychic” parrot.

Local media reported Wednesday that an avian tipster called Olivia had predicted a win for the home side, which would book their spot in a sixth successive World Cup finals next summer.

Sydney (AFP) – Australia’s hopes of qualifying for next year’s World Cup have been dealt a blow after injury concerns forced skipper Mile Jedinak out of a 23-man squad to face Japan and Thailand in crunch qualifiers.

Jedinak missed the Confederations Cup in June with a groin injury, and has yet to play for his English Championship club Aston Villa this season.

Pachuca (Mexico) (AFP) – Japan international Keisuke Honda surprised journalists by speaking passable Spanish as he gave his debut press conference Tuesday at his new club, Mexico’s Pachuca.

The 31-year-old, who signed with the Mexican first-division club last week after a three-year stint at AC Milan, amused sports reporters covering his arrival in Mexico by greeting them with a nearly accentless “Hola a todos” (hello everyone).

Seoul (AFP) – South Korea’s football association Tuesday said it wanted talks with China and Japan about a joint bid to host the 2030 World Cup along with North Korea, an initiative aimed at easing tensions in the region.

The South’s new President Moon Jae-In first proposed the ambitious idea to FIFA chief Gianni Infantino in a meeting Monday, although Korean officials acknowledge China is likely to be lukewarm.

Seoul (AFP) – South Korea’s football association Tuesday said it wanted talks with China and Japan about a joint bid to host the 2030 World Cup along with North Korea, an initiative aimed at easing tensions in the region.

The South’s new President Moon Jae-In first proposed the ambitious idea to FIFA chief Gianni Infantino in a meeting Monday, although Korean officials acknowledge China is likely to be lukewarm.

Tokyo (AFP) – Japan’s World Cup qualifying preparations were dealt a blow Wednesday when playmaker Shinji Kagawa suffered a shoulder injury in a 1-1 home draw with Syria.

The Borussia Dortmund midfielder was stretchered off just nine minutes into the Tokyo friendly clutching his left shoulder after an awkward fall, and could be in doubt for next week’s Asian qualifier against Iraq.

Tokyo (AFP) – Japan’s World Cup qualifying preparations were dealt a blow Wednesday when playmaker Shinji Kagawa suffered a shoulder injury in a 1-1 home draw with Syria.

The Borussia Dortmund midfielder was stretchered off just nine minutes into the Tokyo friendly clutching his left shoulder after an awkward fall, and could be in doubt for next week’s Asian qualifier against Iraq.

Adelaide (Australia) (AFP) – Australia face a must-win qualifier against Saudi Arabia in Adelaide on Thursday if they are to keep alive their direct qualification hopes for next year’s World Cup finals.

The Socceroos, who have qualified for last three editions, trail the Saudis and group leaders Japan by three points with three games left in Asia Group B.

After two seasons with Galatasaray, Lukas Podolski has moved on to pastures newby signing a pension-boosting deal to join Japanese top flight side Vissel Kobe.

To prepare for life in a new country, Podolski has immersed himself in Japanese culture, trying his hand at origami, bonsai, sushi, Kendo fighting and even giving the Captain Tsubasa books a shufty before bedtime.

The Rest

During the FIFA international break, four women's national teams will head to the West Coast for a three-match Tournament of Nations: Australia, Brazil, Japan, and the United States. Two Seattle Reign FC players — Megan Rapinoe and Rumi Utsugi — have been called up for this tournament.